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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23789617">the rent, on the other hand</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/duaa/pseuds/duaa'>duaa</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bad Things Happen Bingo [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bad Things Happen Bingo, Black Eye, College AU, Jokes, Knives, M/M, Mentions of Sex, Mentions of drugs, Mentions of homophobia, Pansexual Deceit Sanders, getting beat up, i mean remus is in there yk, some sexyy talk, sympathetic everyone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 22:13:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,813</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23789617</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/duaa/pseuds/duaa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sure, everyone warned Dante that his new apartment near his university was an awful idea; that living in the most dangerous part of the city was a terrible idea. Sure, he witnessed it one week in. </p><p>The rent made up for all of that.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Deceit Sanders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bad Things Happen Bingo [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1707997</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Bad Things Happen Bingo</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the rent, on the other hand</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedarkstrangeson/gifts">thedarkstrangeson</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dante held his breath, head bowed as he passed a gaggle of strangers. His heart was hammering in his chest, adrenaline rushing through his veins. The blade in his pocket felt heavier than chains, it's presence always known. Everyone told him that this area was sketchy, that the low rent wasn't worth it. They all said the same thing; <i>"That area, Dante, it has it's own drug ring, I bet!'</i> or <i>"Dante sweetie, you would die there!"</i>. But the prices. The heavenly prices. A two bedroom apartment on the tenth floor, one bathroom in the their flat, fully furnished - why would Dante, drowning in debt for fees, reject a floating log? A roommate who would split the rent, so even if Dante died in crossfire, someone could tell his family that he loved them. The university was really good, it was just a 15 minute walk from Dante's apartment - he should have known that something was wrong when no one else from his university was living in this affordable and close apartment. </p><p>Well, just ten minutes of his fifteen minute walk was filled with hooligans, and in those ten minutes, his life was at stake. </p><p>"Ay, where you from?" Dante could scream, someone was standing in front of him, towering. He was prepared for this, but he had just been hoping to never have to do it.</p><p>"I'm from the east side, mister." He was a kid, a small child, innocent and looking for his mummy. If he didn't find his mummy, he would cry and scream and bang his fists.  "Have you seen my -"</p><p>"Fuck off."</p><p>Whoo! Dante was no longer a child, he was now a college student, trembling in his shoes. If someone else talked to him on the way home, he wouldn't bang his fists but he would piss his pants. Logan may not make the most desirable plans, but he sure as hell knew how to make foolproof plans. He was the one who suggested that they come up with ideas, after all. And well, that's what Dante got after refusing to listen to everyone about living here - the cost of living made up for everything. </p><p>His apartment complex came into sight, and Dante could only smile, carefree. He couldn't wait to see his home up close - and his roommate, but who cares about that? The guy's name was Virgil, they had a few laughs about it, and it was fine. He seemed like a pretty chill guy, and Dante wasn't too worried about it. Squinting at the floor he assumed to be his, he tried to see whether someone was actually leaning out of the window, or if it was just a weird stain. It wriggled and Dante decided that it was most definitely a human. Praying that it wasn't his bonehead roommate, he walked faster. Would he go and run interference? No, of course not. His wasn't to meddle or to ask questions, his was to keep his head down. It was better off that way, if he poked his nose in fewer things, that would be more time he would have for himself and his studies. </p><p>All that money and hard work can not just be for nothing, can it?</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Dante's roommate seemed to be out, his voice had echoed around for a few moments before he moved on to unpacking his suitcase. He had stayed for a week with Logan on campus, and now he was actually shifting to what would be his home for next few years. He was so glad he and Logan got into the same university, they hadn't planned it, not when they applied, not when they picked which one to go to - not when they both decided to dorm with a random stranger. It was for the better anyways, the efficiency they would come to would if they combined forces once again would wreck the whole world. <del>They didn't sleep for more than three hours for a whole week during highschool finals.</del><p>The room was exactly as it advertised with the exception of a few knick knacks scattered around, food in some of the cabinets - oh, and how one whole door was unhinged, sitting innocently in front of its rightful place on the doorframe. A sticky note was attached to it and Dante swore that if it said that this was his room he would raise hell here. </p><p>
  <i>'brb, this is my room and my door, DONT TOUCH IT!!'</i>
</p><p><i>-Virgil</i> </p><p>The last phrase was underlined, written darker like Virgil pressed down on the pencil hard enough to break it. Of course, Dante didn't need to be told to respect other's privacies. But he was told anyways. Which meant that he obviously had to peek. </p><p>Not that it was peeking, he was looking - there was no door, after all. </p><p>The room was dark. The window was open. There was a bed. How utterly boring, what was there to hide? Dante shook his head, going inside his room. It, too, was dark and had a bed. His other suitcase was sitting there as well. There was a desk, a plant - a desk plant that came <i>with</i> the house. Why would he say no? Besides, Dante had an evil plan for what he would do if things were a lot rougher than expected. He would simply find an important person, make them fall in love with Dante - voila. He was safe for now. He knew that it sounded... like bullshit: but he did this many times before. The stakes were just higher this time - who cared? </p><p>The perfect life people lived on tumblr posting pictures of themselves studying and having fun - Dante was joining the gang soon. </p><p>He cleaned up the space and started unpacking, feeling like an extremely successful person. His parents wanted to help him, but when you have five kids, two of whom already have jobs and two who are toddlers - you don't mean what you say. You never mean what you say. </p><p>
  <i>'Oh Dante, dear you could always stay at home' </i>
</p><p>
  <i>'Son, we'll be there to help you unpack!'</i>
</p><p><i>'Ooh, we should have a party for your graduation!'</i> </p><p>He couldn't hold it against them, his siblings were a handful. Besides, he never really felt like he was missing out on anything that important. His parents loved him, cared for him, were extremely nice. What more did he want? All of their time? Please, he had better things to do than wistfully wish for helicopter parents. Why bother with parents when you have kick-ass siblings? Emile, Toby, Andy, Thomas - well, he didn't care much for Andy and Thomas except for a strong sense of protectiveness. They were in kindergarten, what was he supposed to do with them? And besides, the less he thought about the fifteen year gap between him and his younger siblings, the better.<del> How much free time did his parents have anyways? Three kids weren't enough? Filthy.</del></p><p>He pulled out his pansexual flag, wondering whether he should hang it. Deciding against it, he stuffed it in his wardrobe, feeling a little muffed that he couldn't hang it in his room. As disgusting as it was, even if Virgil was homophobic, Dante would rather not know. Although he would like to lash out, call out every homophobe - he knew he was in no condition to do so. Money didn't grow on trees, Dante had to live here, no matter what. There would times in his life when things would be out of control, when he could nothing but sit back and observe. Then there would be times where he could take control; but the consequences would be devastating. This was one of them: if Virgil turned out to be an asshole, Dante could do nothing but ignore him, he didn't have the liberty of moving out. </p><p>He was in no position to be doing anything of the sorts. It's fine. Who says Virgil was a homophobe anyway?</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>BANG!<p>Dante woke up with a jolt, ready to scream. He heard quiet cussing, followed by another smaller crash. Rubbing his eyes, he picked up the blade he kept on his night stand, warily opening his door. </p><p>"Oh, hey, sorry, I didn't mean to wake you - is that a knife?" </p><p>"Ah, Virgil." He tucked the blade in his pocket, now acutely aware of the fact that he was wearing nothing but shorts. Maybe his face was burning - who's to say? "Nice to meet you." Whatever, he would just pretend that nothing was wrong. Who cares? He just met someone practically naked - he would roll with it now.</p><p>"Really? I just woke you up. At two thirty." Virgil's face was hidden by his hood and Dante frowned at the light coming from the kitchen. Everyone knew that when you enter a room, you first turn on a light - you don't travel around to the kitchen and sit in the ambient darkness. </p><p>"I was awake anyways." Yeah, selling sheep in his sleep. He turned on the light, both of them flinching at how bright it was. Virgil turned to him, squinting - </p><p>"What happened to you, dude?" What was worse than his roommate being a homophobe? Being involved in some very illegal criminal activity, maybe? Why on earth did this scrawny beanpole of a boy sport the darkest and biggest black eye Dante had ever seen? </p><p>"Oh, uh, I got..." He mumbled something, ducking his head again. Dante cocked his head. </p><p>"Pardon me, I don't think I heard you properly. What was that again?" </p><p>"I got mugged. Well, kind of. I just got beat up in an alley." He scratched his head, wincing. Dante shook his head, feeling bad for the guy. </p><p>"C'mon, we have an instant cold compress in the bathroom." Years of seeing his brothers do the same for him, he moved with practised ease, pulling out the first aid box from under the sink. "Is anything bleeding?" Virgil shook his head as Dante started breaking the compress. "Good, can you see fine?"</p><p>"Yes, mother." </p><p>"Virgil, please, take your mommy issues elsewhere." Handing him the ice pack, he turned to go, it was two thirty after all. Well, he wouldn't know, he just took Virgil's word for it. As he opened the door to his room, he heard a faint thank you. Smiling to himself, Dante flung himself at his bed, tossing the blade on the bed stand.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p>
  <i>bro, my roomie is so hot</i></p>
<p></p><div>
  <p>
    <i> <b> remus the fukcing rat fucker</b>  </i>
  </p>
  <p>
    <i>dibs </i>
  </p>
</div><i>no fucking way dude</i><p>
  <i>he helped me clean up my black eye</i></p>
<p></p><div>
  <p>
    <i> <b> remus the fukcing rat fucker</b></i>
  </p>
  <p>
    <i>black eye? </i>
  </p>
</div><i>its when you get punched in your eye so it does wack things<div><p> <b> remus the fukcing rat fucker</b></p><p>fukc you </p></div>he was shirtless<div><p> <b> remus the fukcing rat fucker</b></p><p>did you tell him youd suck his d? </p></div>oh yea of course, i just went to town yk<div><p> <b> remus the fukcing rat fucker</b></p><p>good </p></div></i>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>lmk if you see a typo! hope you like it ❤️💕<br/>also - this will defo have another chapter :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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